Only One of These Makes the Country Work

While President Obama releases his ideal budget for the year today—lauding government as the source of success in America—Heritage President Jim DeMint releases his new book about the individuals who are making this country work, one day at a time.

“America’s greatness is found in its individuals, not in the collective,” DeMint says. “Countries succeed when the individual is put first; they fail when they’re replaced with the collective.”

This goes against a pervasive theme on the left. Remember when a video at the 2012 Democratic National Convention proclaimed that “Government is the only thing that we all belong to”? Or perhaps you’ve heard the oft-quoted line attributed to Representative Barney Frank (D-MA): “Government is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together.”

It’s that philosophy that undergirds the President’s budget proposal.

His vision is spending taxpayers’ money connecting innovators at universities and businesses, rather than letting them innovate free of government intervention. He continues to push universal pre-K and expanding the sadly failed Head Start program.

DeMint’s new book, Falling in Love with America Again, highlights individuals across the country who are actually doing something. These people and organizations are building their communities—because they are in their communities. Unlike the federal government, they are close enough to see the needs and discern how they can help.

“We need innovative ideas that bypass the federal government and put individuals back in control,” DeMint says.

While President Obama touts the power and reach of the federal government, DeMint shares stories of people who have stood up to an overreaching government. More importantly, these Americans have conquered obstacles like immigration, drug addiction, lawsuits, and failing schools to achieve their dreams.

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